"Fiat money is backed by men with guns; Bitcoin is not. So why should this thing have any value?"--Uber statist economist Paul Krugman.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Libertarians in Michigan out front in supporting Scotty Boman

Mark Byrne, Chair of the Libertarian Party of St. Clair and Sanilac counties, scored a letter to the editor in the Port Huron Times-Herald this past week, supporting both Michigan Senate candidate Scotty Boman and Presidential nominee Bob Barr:

Did Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama sell out your freedom on July 9?

Obama voted in favor of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a bill that provides retroactive legal protection to cooperating telecom companies that helped the feds illegally eavesdrop on the overseas calls of American citizens in America. Until a few weeks ago, that would be shortly after the last primaries, Obama adamantly opposed the bill. "Unequivocally" was the word his people used.

"Believing Democrats are more adept at protecting American civil liberties is a mistake," Libertarian Party spokesman Andrew Davis said. "Democrats are just as guilty as Republicans, and have been a doormat to the Republican-led assault on our Constitution.

McCain also failed to vote against the FISA bill and protect your freedom.

So what are Americans to do if they want to protect their freedom? You can show freedom matters by voting in November for candidates who not only oppose the FISA bill today, but also will oppose the FISA bill when it comes up for a vote next time. Presidential candidate Bob Barr and U.S. Senate candidate Scotty Boman are vocal opponents of the FISA bill and other violations of the U.S. Constitution. Bob Barr is polling at 6% in a national poll by Zogby and his campaign has just gotten started.

All right, so I don't have the slightest idea where Port Huron is, or how big it is, but that doesn't matter.

In an internet age the amount of publicity that can be generated this way is virtually limitless--and any of us can do it.

Here is Obama's lame and deceptive reply to anyone who wrote to ask him to oppose the FISA amendments bill, and/or expressed their disappointment or disgust with the way he voted (i got two identical replies)

Dear Friend,

Thank you for contacting us and sharing your strong feelings about this important issue. Please find a statement from Senator Obama below.

We appreciate hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Obama for America,

---Given the grave threats that we face, our national security agencies must have the capability to gather intelligence and track down terrorists before they strike, while respecting the rule of law and the privacy and civil liberties of the American people. There is also little doubt that the Bush Administration, with the cooperation of major telecommunications companies, has abused that authority and undermined the Constitution by intercepting the communications of innocent Americans without their knowledge or the required court orders.

That is why last year I opposed the so-called Protect America Act, which expanded the surveillance powers of the government without sufficient independent oversight to protect the privacy and civil liberties of innocent Americans. I have also opposed the granting of retroactive immunity to those who were allegedly complicit in acts of illegal spying in the past.

After months of negotiation, the House passed a compromise that, while far from perfect, is a marked improvement over last year's Protect America Act. Under this compromise legislation, an important tool in the fight against terrorism will continue, but the President's illegal program of warrantless surveillance will be over. It restores FISA and existing criminal wiretap statutes as the exclusive means to conduct surveillance - making it clear that the President cannot circumvent the law and disregard the civil liberties of the American people. It also firmly re-establishes basic judicial oversight over all domestic surveillance in the future.

It does, however, grant retroactive immunity, and I voted in the Senate three times to remove this provision so that we could seek full accountability for past offenses. Unfortunately, these attempts were unsuccessful. But this compromise guarantees a thorough review by the Inspectors General of our national security agencies to determine what took place in the past, and ensures that there will be accountability going forward. By demanding oversight and accountability, a grassroots movement of Americans has helped yield a bill that is far better than the Protect America Act.

It is not all that I would want. But given the legitimate threats we face, providing effective intelligence collection tools with appropriate safeguards is too important to delay. So I support the compromise, but do so with a firm pledge that as President, I will carefully monitor the program, review the report by the Inspectors General, and work with the Congress to take any additional steps I deem necessary to protect the lives - and the liberty - of the American people.